SPORTS
TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025
Judokan Karra Hanna earns her IJF ranking
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
With her sights set on making it to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, judokan Karra Hanna has made a gigantic leap forward in the International Judo Federation (IJF) women’s division.
The 25-year-old native of Acklins just competed at the Panamerican and Oceania Senior Championships in Santiago, Chile on April 25 where she was fifth overall in the +78 kilogram class.
Based on her performance, the latest IJF
rankings released yesterday now have her pegged at number 80, the highest achievement by any Bahamian from the Panamerican and Oceania region.
Hanna, a full-time judokan, said she was very pleased with her performance although she lost in the first round to the Brazilian Olympian Beatriz Souza, whom she forced to get a penalty.
“I do believe I gave her a run for her money because she only won by a half point,” said Hanna, who went the full four minutes in the match.
“I’m very proud of that. I went there with hopes of bringing home the medal. I was unable to win my first round against her. But I won my second round in the repechage over American Jessica Alaynick in 30 seconds.”
That placed her in the bronze medal round where she lost to the Cuban Brigitte Carambali.
With the matches she participated in, Hanna said she gained a lot of exposure and insights on what she needs to work on against her rivals who are much bigger than her.
The most significant achievement for Hanna is the fact that she finally got on the board with a top 100 ranking when she didn’t have any prior to going to Santiago.
“It’s amazing. It feels great,” Hanna stated.
D’Arcy Rahming, president of the Bahamas Judo
EUGENE Horton, president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation, said he was pleased with the national round robin tournament over the weekend.
The tournament returned to New Providence and played from Thursday to Saturday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium after it was staged in South Andros last year.
“I would like to thank Eleuthera, South Andros, North Andros, Abaco, Grand Bahama and New
By BRENT STUBBS
THE road to Tokyo for the 2025 World Championships will get underway for a lot of the local track and field athletes at the ninth edition of the Silver Lightning Track Classic. Held in memory of the late Thomas A. Robinson, who made it to the final of the men’s 100m in Tokyo at one of his four Olympic Games, the classic will take place on Saturday, May 10.
It will be held in the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium, starting at 9am and, according to meet director Rupert Gardiner, they’re anticipating great expectations.
“When we first presented this idea to Tommy before he passed away, he was very excited about us having the meet,” said Gardiner of Robinson, who died on November 25, 2012, at the age of 75. “The track, both of them, are named after him. He represented the country well and he was a great athlete. So just his name alone makes it a meet to participate in.”
Gardiner, the head coach of Silver Lightning Track Club, said the event will serve as a qualifier for athletes wishing to participate in the World Championships, scheduled for September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan.
Providence for attending the national round robin,” Horton said.
“We did it in New Providence to make it affordable for everybody in these tough economic times. I think it was successful and we look forward to next year when we take it to the next level.”
Only three teams participated in the men’s division one play where the Commonwealth Bank Giants out of New Providence had to dig down deep to come back from almost 20 points down in the second quarter
BOCCE SPECIAL OLYMPICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
SPECIAL Olympics Bahamas has announced that its National Bocce Championships is scheduled for this weekend at Stapledon School.
The championships is slated to get started 2:30pm Friday until 5:30pm and continue 9:15am Saturday to 3pm. The official opening
ceremonies is set for 11am Saturday. Teams from Abaco,
dence
FOURTEEN CLUBS GOLF ACADEMY HOSTS ANOTHER ROUND OF ITS U.S. KIDS TOURNAMENT AT ALBANY
THE Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy hosted another round of its U.S. Kids Golf Tournament at the Albany Golf Club over the weekend.
Here’s a look at the various winners in each age
group:
Boys 6-&-under - 1st
Place King Fox 65; 2nd
Place Adam Taylor 75
Boys 7 - 1st Place Enok
Saulnier 45; 2nd Place Wil-
liam Stevenson 48; 3rd
Place Kamaal Daley 66.
Boys 8 - 1st Place Benjamin Lozzi 44; 2nd Place
Jeter Godwin 55; 3rd Place
Sam Saulnier 56; 4th Place
Breion Bullard 61; 5th
Place Zane Gibson 64; 6th Place Wells White 67 and 7th Place Alfie Betts 69.
Girls 8-&-Under - 1st
Place Jermany Dawkins
61;T2 Savannah Mackey 63
- T2 Olivia Sabugo 63; 4th
Place Eliana Joanne; 5th
Alexandra Sabugo 82.
Girls 9-10 - 1st Place
Zaire Poitier 43; T2 Zara
Greaves 44
T2 Zion Poitier 44; 4th
Place Zeden Poitier 59; 5th
Place Azaria Bethel 63. 6th - Madison Taylor 80
Boys 9 -10 1st place Tyler
Rolle 58
Boy - 1st place Reef
Harvey 57; 2nd place Kayleon Daley 74 3rd place Daniel Ramsay 78
Boys 11 - 1st place
Connor Stevenson 105; 2nd place William Smith 115; T3 Caleb Adderley 127; T3
Jervarie Dawkins 127
BOYS 13-14, from left to right, Rashawn Hanna, Zakary Joseph, Deandrey Poitier, Carlos Osuwaza, Lamond Wallace and Lathan Bowleg.
GIRLS 9-10 from left to right, Azaria Bethel, Zeden Poitier, Zaire Poitier, Zion Poitier, Zara Greaves and Madison Taylor.
Girls 11-12 - 1st place
Londyn Strachan 95; 2nd place Kaleah Brown 98; 3rd place Ri’Annah Hanna 108; 4th place Tica Biron 120. Boys 12 - 1st place Archie Michelmore 85; 2nd place Jaedon Bain 139; 3rd place
Kendrick Sargeant 149.
Boys 13-14 - 1st place Rashawn Hanna 82; second place Zakary Joseph 893rd place Deandrey Poitier 94; 4th place Lucas Stokes 107; T5 Carlos Osuwaza 113; T5 Tristan Mosko 113; 7th place Lamond Wallace 124; 8th place Lathan Bowleg 131
Girls 13-14 - 1st place Madison Carroll 76; 2nd place Kayleigh Rolle 80; 3rd place Haley Hall 84; 4th place Anissa Robinson 85
Boys 15-18 - 1st place Kerrington Rolle 83; 2nd place Maximilian Landry 86; 3rd place Camdyn Forbes 87; T4 Chris Capello 89 T4 Oliver White 89; 6th place Christopher Callendar 94; 7th place Donald Bain 108.
*Girls 15-18 - 1st place Chemari Pratt 85; 2nd place Celina Mellor 104. The next US kids event will be at Lyford Cay on May 4. Please remember to register before the late fee applies. Registration closes on Thursday at midnight. Tee times will post on Friday. This field is limited, so please register before it is filled. There will be no exceptions.
announced that there has been a slight change in the events and schedule for its fourth annual Youth Track Classic. The classic, open to competitors from ages under-seven to under-16, is scheduled for Saturday, starting at 10am and Sunday, starting at 1pm, at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The registration deadline is set for 5pm today. Athletes still interested in participating are urged to register at redlineathletics242@gmail and smnbutler@yahoo.com
ROAD TO TOKYO
THE Silver Lightning Track Club is scheduled to hold its annual Track and Field Classic on Saturday, May 10, at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, starting at 9am. The event, dubbed the “Road to Tokyo,” will be used as a qualifier for athletes wishing to make Team Bahamas that will compete at the World Championships from September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan. Interested athletes can contact coach Rupert
Gardiner at 821-2836 for more information. PEACE ON DA STREET FAMILY NIGHT PLANS are underway for the staging of the Peace on Da Streets’ Basketball Classics’ Road to 30 years of existence. The event, being organised by the Hope Center under the theme “Shooting hoops instead of guns,” will be held from July 14-19 at the Michael ‘Scooter’ Reid Basketball Center. The highlight of the event will be the Family Night,
scheduled for Sunday, July 20 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium when the finals in all of the divisions will take place, starting at 3pm.
There will also be the Mr Ship It Three-point shootout and the Joe’s Slam Dunk Contest. The night will conclude with the exciting Clergy versus Politicians match-up. Lots of prizes, including round trip tickets, will be up for grabs. SPRING FLING INVITATIONAL THE Fast Track Athletics Club is scheduled to hold its
4th annual Spring Fling at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex May 16-17. The event is open to competitors from
BOYS 7, from left to right, Kamaal Daley, William Stevenson and Enok Saulnier.
GIRLS 8-and-under winner Anna Sutherland, Madison and Jenny Sutherland.
BOYS 12, from left to right, Jaedon Bain, Archie Michelmore and Kendrick Sargeant.
GIRLS 13-14, from left to right, Haley Hall, Madison Carroll, Kayleigh Rolle and Anissa Robinson.
BOYS 11, from left to right, Jervarie Dawkins, Caleb Adderley, Connor Stevenson and William Smith.
GIRLS 11-12, from left to right, Ri’Annah Hannah, Londyn Strachan, Tica Biron and Kaleah Brown.
Sophomore Michael Major Jr racks up tennis awards
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
IT has been a very productive year for Michael Major Jr as the sophomore completed his season for the Bison men’s tennis team at Howard University, earning several athletic and academic awards.
While the Bison finished the season with a 6-14 win-loss record and a first round exit from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships last week in Cary, North Carolina, the human performance major was named the Bison men’s most valuable player, second team all-MEAC conference and MEAC allacademic honours.
“I feel extremely proud of the work that I’ve done all year,” Major Jr said.
“Although my team fell a bit short in our conference,
I think it was a great season for me.
“I picked up some wins playing number one for most of the season and I think I showed what I am capable of and what I still have for the future.”
Looking back at his season, the 6-foot, 2-inch Major Jr said he learned how to prioritise the sports and academics.
“I feel a lot of people do it, but they don’t do it to the extent that they should in terms of really planning out your day meticulously so you can get everything that you need to get done and more.
“There’s always a baseline of the amount of work you should do to become a good athlete or a good student, but I think when you are able to make that your baseline and add extra on top of that.
“That is what makes you a great athlete or great
student in the classroom, so that was what I tried to do this year.”
As for his performance on the court, Major Jr said he definitely impressed himself in how he was able to hold court. “I’ve been
working really hard on making my game a whole, working on the patches that I found and it’s all coming together for me, especially as I get ready to come home for Davis Cup,” he said.
As one of the leaders for Team Bahamas whenever the Davis Cup tie is held, Major Jr said playing against some of the higher ranked players from the other schools and securing some notable victories should help take his game to another level when he represents the country.
There weren’t many low aspects of his game, but Major Jr said it only reinforces the need to continue to work harder to perfect everything so that he can become a more complete player in the future.
“My doubles this season could have been better, but that was about it,” said Major Jr, who will return home on Sunday before he prepares to travel for Davis Cup sometime in July.
Major Jr is the son of former softball pitcher Bernadette ‘Chips’ McPhee-Major and Michael Major Sr.
‘ROAD TO TOKYO’ BEGINS AT THE SILVER LIGHTNING TRACK CLASSIC
He noted that a number of junior athletes, coming off their stellar performances at the CARIFTA Games in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago over the Easter holiday weekend, will also be competing as they also have a number of international meets to participate in later this year.
“We have dubbed it the Road to Tokyo because it will allow those senior athletes wishing to make the team to get some
competition in, while the junior athletes will get to compete against their older peers to improve on their performances,” Gardiner said.
According to Gardiner, plans call for some athletes from the United States to come to The Bahamas to compete as they look for alternative sites for meets.
But Gardiner also noted that sprinter Camille Rutherford is expected to be one of the highlight performers for The Bahamas as she competes in an invitational 100 metres.
Hopefully, veteran international sprinter Anthonique Strachan, who has competed at both the Olympics and World Championships, will accept the invitation to come from Jamaica where she is training to compete as well. Gardiner further indicated that ‘Golden Knight’ Timothy Munnings, who just recently won the Masters World Indoor Championship title with a record-breaking performance, will be competing as he attempts to lower his own world outdoor 400m
title in the invitational 400m.
In addtion, it is hoped that Olympic quarter-miler Wendell Miller, who is also training with Strachan in Jamaica, will be able to return home to compete in the 400m.
With World Athletics introducing the mixed 4 x 100 metres relay to its growing list of events offered during their international competition, Gardiner said athletes can expect to get a test run of the relay during the track meet.
Competition is expected to be staged in all age groups from the youth to the open categories and awards will be presented to the first three finishers in each event.
Interested athletes have until 6pm on Tuesday, May 7, to register. All registration forms with the fee of $15 must be turned in to Betty Christie. Patrons attending the meet will be charged an entry fee of $15 for the VIP stand, $10 for general admission and $5 for children under the age of 12.
BFA REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
THE Bahamas Football Association continued its regular season action over the weekend at the Roscoe Davis Developmental Center at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. Here’s a look at the results posted: Men’s League Dynamos def. Renegades 3-2 as B Adderley scored a pair of goals and E Julmis had one. M Johnson booted in the pair of goals in a losing effort. University of the Bahamas Mingoes 3, Inter Nassau Seventeen 1: R Green booted in the three goals for the Mingos. E Daviliar scored the lone goal in the loss.
Western Warriors Titans def. United 5-1: R Esterby had two goals and T Johnny, L Koles and J Paxson all added one apiece. M Camelus scored the only goal for the losers.
Women’s League Renegades and Western Warriors played to a 1-1 draw. A Albury scored the goal for the Renegades and D Raphael scored the goal for the Warriors. And Cavalier blanked United Purple as R Rolle and K Wert borth scored a goal for Cavalier.
Youth League Intr Nassau def. Baha Juniors 5-3 as G Elysee, D Johnson, Polynice and D Wright ll scored a goal in the win. A Ford, C Hesti and R Pyform scored a goal each in the loss.
And the Baha Juniors Atletico def. the Renegade Sharks 5-4 as T Cartwright booted in three goals and B Ppoitier and T Saunders added one each in the win. A Candela had three and P McWeeney added one in the loss.
Karra Hanna earns her IJF ranking
FROM PAGE E1
Federation, said they are very proud of Hanna’s performance at the championships, one of the most prestigious in the region.
“This has really raised a lot of eyebrows and has put The Bahamas substantially on the map in judoka,” Rahming said.
“She’s home training with a Bahamian coach and is doing exceptionally well.
“I could not be more delighted with her ranking. I always knew Karra had the ability to be an Olympic champion and a world champion. I’m very pleased with the work she has put in with her coach with the limited resources and methodology to get her to this point.”
Rahming, whose daughter Cynthia fell short of Hanna’s rankings before she officially retired from the sport, thanked both the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Education, the Bahamas Olympic Committee and some private donors for assisting Hanna in her latest accomplishment.
Hanna was introduced to the sport by her uncle sensei Elrick McKinney, who encouraged her to attend sensei Rahming’s Dojo in 2026.
Two weeks later, she was competing in her first international competition in Barbados where she captured the silver medal.
The rest was history.
In 2017, she won the gold medal in her debut at the CARIFTA Games, avenging her loss to the winner in Barbados. She also was the first Bahamian to win a medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2017 where she earned the bronze. “I was very proud of my accomplishments,” said Hanna, who unfortunately took a break from the sport that expanded to six years before she made her return last year.
Competing in her first international meet in her return to active competition, Hanna went to the Quebec Open in November where she was crowned the gold medallist.
Currently, Hanna trains at the sports facilities at the Edmund Moxey
EUGENE HORTON PLEASED WITH BBF NATIONALS
FROM PAGE E1
to pull off a nail-biting 83-60 victory over the Dudley Boyz Saints from Grand Bahama.
Dylan Musgrove was named the most valuable player for the Giants, coached by Perry Thompson Jr, while his team-mate Jacob Jackson was named the most offensive player. Chauncy Cooper, who played for the third place Crusaders from Abaco, was named the defensive player.
In the men’s division II play, Your Essential Store (YES) Giants dominated the competition, winning the title with a 94-75 rout over the Net Riders.
Matthew Saunders was the MVP and the offensive player of the tournament. His team-mate Javon Adderley was the defensive player.
The Harbour Island Panthers, in sending coach ‘Tiny’ Pinder off into retirement after playing and coaching for 45 years combined, pulled off a 105-75 blowout win over the North & Central Andros Antic Saints.
“The competition was great. From looking at it, everyone was looking forward to it and I liked the way the Family Island teams were eager to come here and play against the New Providence teams,” Horton said.
“Talking to some of my executives, the Family Island teams enjoyed it. So we were very pleased with the way the tournament turned out.
“We can’t wait for next year’s event. Hopefully we will have more teans participating.”
Last year, Horton watched as the men’s national basketball team, led by the National Basketball Association’s trio of Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, Deandre Ayton and Eric Gordon, along with Valdez ‘VJ’ Edgecombe, who will be entering the NBA draft in June, made it to the final game of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in June in Spain.
The men’s national team, according to Horton, is on a roll, but he said they hope to focus on all of the other programmes, including the ladies and junior boys and girls programmes.
“We’re going to look at a four-year plan targeted at getting us to compete in the Olympics,” Horton said. “We came close last year, but we feel we can have a team make it to the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles.”
If basketball is successful in qualifying, it would be the first team sport to compete in the world’s greatest four-yearly games where The Bahamas has had its share of successes in individual sports.
Community Park on Blue Hill Road under the supervision of sensei Willard McKenzie.
McKenzie, who has been working with Hanna since she made her return last year, said he was pleased with the rapid progress that she has made. “She has improved a lot,” he said. “I think she has made an outstanding achievement on the world stage where she’s now holding an international ranking.”
As she prepares to continue her journey, Hanna admitted that she needs to work a little more on her strength, her endurance and be better prepared to tackle and to throw the bigger opponents with her 5-foot, 8-inch frame. “We need to work on her strength and conditioning,” McKenzie said. “We are still on the road to the Olympics, so she will have to continue to work on improving her world ranking by competing in more internationally ranked tournaments.”
Hanna’s next competition is expected to be at the Lima Panamericana Open on July 13 before she heads to the Montreal Panamerican Open on November 15. She thanked God for allowing her to get back into judo and competing at such a high level.
She also commended her family, including her mother Sarah-Ann McKinney and her grandmother, Alrina McKinney, her friends and her coaches for all of the support they’ve given her.
She noted that as the journey now continues to Los Angeles in 2028, she will need their support more than ever before if she is going to make it to the Olympics, along with aspiring junior sensation Xavion Johnson and senior competitor Andrew Munnings. If she does, Hanna would be the first female to represent The Bahamas and she would like nothing better than to “make us all proud.”
MICHAEL Major Jr in action.
KARRA Hanna and sensei Willard McKenzie before her semifinal match.
Pacers roll to 129-103 victory in Game 4 to take 3-1 lead
Bucks lose Lillard to injury
By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer
MILWAUKEE (AP) —
The Indiana Pacers scored at will while the Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t recover from the loss of one of their two superstar players.
Now the Pacers are on the verge of ending the Bucks’ season for a second straight year.
Myles Turner scored 23 points and the Pacers shot 60.2% on Sunday night while winning 129-103 over the Bucks, who lost Damian Lillard to a lower left leg injury midway through the first quarter.
The preliminary examination of Lillard indicated a possible Achilles tendon injury, a person with
knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team did not immediately reveal those details.
“Once he kind of looked back, I think we all kind of knew what it was,” Turner said. “It’s a weird feeling to describe because you have to still compete, you have to get out there, but you just never want to see that happen to another athlete who puts in as much time as he does to his craft and to his game, like we all do.
“It’s very disheartening, but it happens fast. It’s the playoffs. You have to be able to move on.” The Pacers, who beat Milwaukee 4-2 in the first round last year, can
eliminate the Bucks again by winning Game 5 today in Indianapolis.
The Bucks have lost eight straight road playoff games and the last five of those defeats have come at Indiana.
Milwaukee might have to try ending that streak without Lillard, who was helped off the court and into the locker room after suffering a non-contact injury midway through the first quarter.
“They’re going to do an image tomorrow,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “Obviously, it’s lower leg. And, just being honest, it’s not very promising.”
The Pacers led 15-12 at the time of Lillard’s departure and seized control
without him, as eight Pacers scored in double figures. Andrew Nembhard had 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 15 assists. T.J. McConnell had 15 points, Aaron Nesmith 14 and Obi Toppin 13. Pascal Siakam and Jarace Walker added 12 points each.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists before leaving with 4:44 left and the Bucks trailing 120-98. Kevin Porter Jr. added 23 points for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks starter to score more than six points. Kyle
Kuzma continued his tough series by scoring three points and shooting 1 of 6.
“I’ve seen injuries deflate teams, but tonight, that one hurt,” Rivers said. “I thought our guys tried, but it was tough. ... My job over the next 48 hours or whatever we have is to get us upright again, try to win one game in Indiana and get it back here.
“But my brain right now is at the same place as our players are, and that’s thinking about Dame.”
Two nights after blowing a 10-point halftime lead in a 117-101 loss at Milwaukee, the Pacers bounced back. They won convincingly
despite missing Bennedict Mathurin, who was out with an abdominal bruise. “I feel like we kind of let our foot off the gas pedal (in Game 3),” Haliburton said. “I thought we responded the right way today.” Turner, who had scored six points while shooting 1 of 9 from the floor in Game 3, had nine points in the first 4½ minutes Sunday as the Pacers never trailed.
The Pacers went on a 10-3 run immediately after Lillard’s exit to extend its lead to double digits. Indiana led 63-52 at
TATUM AND BROWN PACE CELTICS PAST MAGIC 107-98 TO TAKE 3-1 LEAD IN SERIES
By DICK SCANLON Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)
— Jayson Tatum had 37 points and 14 rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 21 points and 11 rebounds and the Boston Celtics took a 3-1 lead in their NBA playoff series with a 107-98 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 19 points, including a dunk of his own missed layup that put Boston ahead for keeps with 3:58 left.
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 31 points.
Game 5 of the best-of-7 first-round series will be played tonight in Boston.
“This was a big win on the road in a tough, physical environment against a team that’s been eager to take us out,” Brown said.
“It’s not over. We’ve got to close it out because we don’t want to come back here.”
Derrick White finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics. Al Horford blocked five shots.
Franz Wagner had 24 points and seven assists for Orlando.
Corey Joseph added 12 points, the highest scoring output for a Magic guard in the series.
The 7-foot-3 Porzingis, who played only 22 minutes due to foul trouble, helped Boston overcome shooting 9 for 31 from 3-point range with dominant inside play in the first half.
“I think he set the tone for us in the half-court game,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said.
“I thought he got us off to a great start offensively with his screening and his ability to get to the rim.”
The Magic shot 8 for 29 from behind the arc.
A dunk by Porzingis started an 18-3 run midway through the first half. A 3-pointer by Porzingis gave the Celtics a nine-point lead, matching the largest lead of the game, with 7:45 left in the second quarter.
The Magic never led after that, although a dunk by Wendell Carter Jr. tied the game at 91 with 4:18 remaining.
The Celtics took over from there, winning for the first time in Orlando since October 2022. Tatum hit a 10-footer, three straight free throws and a layup to
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, centre, drives between Orlando Magic forward
Jr. (34) during the first half in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on
quickly restore a sevenpoint Boston lead. “Their experience showed,” said Banchero, who shot 12 for
32 but scored 30-plus points for the sixth time in his 11 postseason games. “They weren’t rattled at all. They were making big plays on both ends. They were really sharp over the last four minutes.”
KNICKS BEAT PISTONS AS GAME 4 ENDS WITH A MISSED FOUL CALL
By LARRY LAGE AP Sports Writer
DETROIT (AP) — New York’s dynamic duo put Detroit on the brink of elimination — with an assist from the officials.
Karl-Anthony Towns made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 46.6 seconds left and finished with 27 points, Jalen Brunson had 32 points and 11 assists and the Knicks beat the Pistons 94-93 on Sunday to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Tim Hardaway Jr. shot a 3-pointer just before the buzzer and drew some contact from New York’s Josh Hart that wasn’t called a foul at the end of a physical game with few whistles.
David Guthrie, the crew chief for the game, said afterward that the officials made a mistake.
“After postgame review, we observed that Hart makes body contact that is more than marginal to Hardaway Jr. and a foul should have been called,” Guthrie said.
Had the foul been called, Hardaway would have gone to the foul line for three free throws that could have given Detroit the lead. Instead, the Knicks held on to win after rallying from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Towns, a 7-foot centre, made a turnaround fadeaway near the baseline with 1:29 left before connecting on a shot from about 27 feet. “He has amazing touch,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He shoots the ball like a guard and he has unlimited range.”
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham had 25 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his first playoff triple-double and the third in franchise history, but he missed two shots and turned the ball over in the final 1:07. “He has to carry us on the offensive end,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “That’s a heavy burden on him, but he has come through so many times.”
The Pistons have lost
MILWAUKEE Bucks’ Damian Lillard is helped from the floor against the Indiana Pacers during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday night n Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Boston guard Jrue Holiday sat out a second straight game with a strained right hamstring.
BOSTON
Paolo Banchero (5) and centre Wendell Carter
Sunday.
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
DETROIT Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) walks across the court as New York Knicks centre Ariel Hukporti, third from right, guard Josh Hart (3) and centre Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrate after winning Game 4 of theor first-round playoff series on Sunday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Party time at Anfield as Liverpool wins Premier League for recordequalling 20th top-flight title
By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer
LIVERPOOL, Eng-
land (AP) — A selfie with Mohamed Salah. An impromptu sing-along with Arne Slot. Fireworks and flares.
It was party time at Anfield as Liverpool sealed the Premier League title in style. The 5-1 rout of Tottenham was almost a side issue as a record-equalling 20th English league championship was confirmed Sunday — matching the achievement of Liverpool’s great rival Manchester United.
“Everyone was sitting on the bus saying there is no way we are going to lose the game,” said Slot, standing in the middle of the field after being dowsed in champagne by his players.
Fans had turned up long before kickoff, lining the streets around the stadium in anticipation of a title celebration. And despite going behind to an early goal from Dominic Solanke, Liverpool didn’t let them down — racing to a 3-1 lead by halftime to effectively ensure there would be no further delay to a title victory that has looked likely for much of the season.
“You see so many fans already outside in red early on and you just want to get the job done,” captain Virgil van Dijk said, adding “it was incredible to be part of.” Club greats The smell of sulphur filled the air early in the day as red smoke canisters were let off outside the famous stadium that has been home to so many championshipwinning Liverpool teams. Flags were hung from nearby houses.
Inside the ground, giant banners floated across the stands, celebrating icons past and present.
Slot has joined that list of club greats in only his first season after replacing Jurgen Klopp.
He also joins a select group of managers by winning the title in his first year
in the Premier League — following Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini and Antonio Conte.
He has managed it with plenty to spare, with Liverpool 15 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal with four rounds of the season to go.
“It’s a big job and the manager did it in his own way together with his staff,” Van Dijk said. “He definitely deserves a lot of credit for that.”
Tribute to Klopp Slot is also the first Dutch coach to win the Premier League, which is some feat considering serial trophy winners like Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddink and Erik ten Hag have all managed in English soccer’s top flight.
“It’s always special to win something. It’s even more special if you’re the first one, and even more special at a club where it’s
not common that you win the league every year,” said Slot, who paid tribute to his predecessor by singing Klopp’s name to fans after the final whistle.
Klopp had led Liverpool to a full set of trophies in more than eight years in charge, including the Champions League and that long-awaited Premier League.
Few could have expected Slot to have such an instant impact in his first year in a new country — halting Manchester City’s dominance of English soccer at the first attempt.
Slot thanked Liverpool’s owners for their faith in hiring him from Dutch team Feyenoord last year.
“For them to trust me to be in this position, maybe now everybody says ‘That makes complete sense,’” he said. “But the moment they signed me, maybe not everyone was as convinced as everyone is now.
“So, that tells you also what a special club this is that they don’t always go for the maybe the most simple or obvious choice –they make the choice that they think is best for the club.”
City manager Pep Guardiola was quick to congratulate Slot on a “well deserved” victory.
Special day
This was Liverpool’s second title in five years, having ended a 30-year wait to be champion in 2020.
But this time there was a crucial difference as the triumph was shared with supporters.
Five years ago Liverpool had to finish off the season behind closed doors as the U.K. faced lockdown restrictions because of the COVID pandemic. Now there was a packed stadium to erupt at the final whistle and watch as the players danced and embraced on field.
“This is way better, 100%,” Salah said. “It feels more special with the fans. You have a different group now, a different manager. To show you are able to do it again is something special.”
Throughout the match a packed Anfield crowd had been in rapturous voice, singing the club’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in the final moments. It was reprised later as Slot and his players stood facing the famed Kop stand to be serenaded by fans.
Having spent 206 days at the top of the standings, Liverpool only needed one more point to be confirmed champion.
For a brief moment Solanke’s 12th-minute header had threatened to spoil the party, but the home team powered back with strikes from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gapko before halftime. Salah added another
after the break and Destiny Udogie’s own-goal rounded off the rout.
In the end, the victory was so comfortable that Salah even had time to pose for a selfie in front of the crowd after scoring his 33rd goal of the season in all competitions.
Man United leaves it late Rasmus Hojlund scored in added time to salvage a 1-1 draw for Manchester United at Bournemouth in the other Premier League game on Sunday.
United was on course to lose for a 16th time in the league this season after Antoine Semenyo’s firsthalf strike. But a late flurry of pressure paid off for United after Bournemouth went down to 10 men and Hojlund converted from close range for his ninth goal of the season.
The point moved United up to 14th in the standings.
Semenyo fired a low shot from inside the box to beat United goalkeeper Andre Onana in the 23rd minute. Bournemouth had chances to extend its lead with Dango Ouattara hitting the post with a free kick after the break. But when Evanilson was sent off for a lunge on Noussair Mazraoui following a VAR review in the 70th, United began to increase the pressure. The visitors still had to wait until the sixth minute of added time for Hojlund to divert Manuel Ugarte’s effort past Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Man City can still win a trophy Manchester City reached the FA Cup final for the third year in a row by beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 at Wembley Stadium to maintain a chance of ending a dismal season with a trophy.
City scored early in each half of the semifinal as Rico Lewis put his team ahead in just the second minute and defender Josko Gvardiol doubled the lead in the 51st with a header from a corner. City will play Crystal Palace in the final on May 17.
LIVERPOOL’s Mohamed Salah celebrates by taking a selfie after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
LIVERPOOL's Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with a fan’s smartphone as he celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025.
(AP Photo/Jon Super)
Penn Relays: A 4 x 4 victory to remember
WINNING WAYS: Coach Jason Edwards with SAC’s 4 x 400 metre relay team of Dylan Simon, Jireh Woodside, Eagan Neely and Jahcario Wilson. The St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine, Queen’s College Comets, St John’s Giants and Grand Bahama’s Jack Hayward Wildcats and Bishop Michael Eldon all made their presence felt in the Penn Relays at the Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
But SAC had one of the performances to remember as CARIFTA multiple medallist Jahcario Wilson slipped and fell on the first leg of the high school boys’ 4 x 400m relay. He still managed to get back into the pack and passed off to Jireh Woodside to Dylan Simon before another CARIFTA multiple medallist, Eagan Neely, ran down the field to win in 3:20.55.
GRAND BAHAMA’S CARIFTA SWIM TEAM CELEBRATED FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
TEAM EFFORT: The Grand Bahama swim team returned home last week Thursday on WesternAir to a celebratory welcome from family, friends and government officials, following their remarkable victory in securing their seventh consecutive CARIFTA swimming championship title. The team brought home a total of 74 medals, with 41 of those proudly earned by athletes from Grand Bahama.
Photos: Andrew Miller/BIS